The B.C. government91裸聊视频檚 decision to transfer its $25 million annual 91裸聊视频渞ural dividend fund91裸聊视频� to an aid package for communities losing their sawmills has prompted a backlash.

The fund was set up by the B.C. Liberal government to provide economic diversification to communities of 15,000 population or smaller, many of them dependent on a single industry. That changed Sept. 17 when Forests Minister Doug Donaldson announced ministry funds have been reallocated for this year.

B.C. Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson hosted rural community representatives at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention Tuesday, where they took turns blasting the decision.

Williams Lake Mayor Walt Cobb said his community was counting on funds to help upgrade its water system.

Cobb noted the city is currently on a water quality advisory due to levels of manganese found in the water which does not meet Health Canada91裸聊视频檚 new water quality guidelines.

91裸聊视频淲e can91裸聊视频檛 wait two years,91裸聊视频� Cobb said.

Wilkinson said the current year91裸聊视频檚 rural fund has 338 applications, totalling $35 million in needed assistance. The province has $300 million that was 91裸聊视频渓eft on the table91裸聊视频� after a calm forest fire season, and that money should be available to help with rural needs whether they are related to mill closures or not, he said.

The new assistance fund is $69 million over two years, directed to four B.C. Interior communities that have seen a permanent closure or indefinite curtailment of mills: Quesnel, Chasm, Vavenby and Fort St. James.

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Port McNeill had an application in for the earlier fund, and Mayor Gaby Wickstrom was first to speak out publicly about the decision to defer applications to next year.

Part 1 - Listening to Minister Donaldson answer questions at the 91裸聊视频檚 dinner. Not quite understanding why Rural Dividend Funds needed to be redirected to address the Interior Forestry crisis. Those communities need both funding pools.

91裸聊视频� Gaby Wickstrom (@GabyWickstrom)

91裸聊视频淩ural communities are going to keep knocking on the minister91裸聊视频檚 door until someone realizes the reallocation of the rural dividend funds has been a big mistake,91裸聊视频� Wickstrom tweeted from the UBCM convention.

Donaldson sent letters to applicants for the rural dividend fund on the day the sawmill relief fund was announced, advising them their grant applications are 91裸聊视频渟uspended until further notice91裸聊视频� to help those hardest hit by a wave of mill closures across the Interior.

91裸聊视频淚 recognize the importance of this program and the services it supports,91裸聊视频� Donaldson said in the letter. 91裸聊视频淪taff are working with colleagues across other ministries to identify options for alternative funding, with an emphasis on community economic development and diversification.91裸聊视频�

Donaldson said projects funded through rural dividend funds in previous years are unaffected, and 91裸聊视频渁ll funded applicants are encouraged to continue to implement projects and complete the necessary reporting requirements.91裸聊视频�

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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